Moral Theory: Cultural Relativism

In a fast shrinking world there is actually little that a society gutter do to hide from the scrutiny and judgmental eyes of contrastives. The media and the Internet make it really easy for the equaliser of the world to know of any indiscretion or any mis present committed by a person or a conclave of individuals. The problem with judging new(prenominal)s though is non as simple as it may seem. in that location is simply no universal rule to be followed when it comes to some of the more than complex ethical issues such as euthanasia, abortion, unskilled drug use, etc. Determining what is right and wrong, in this modern age, has been simplify to a moral relativism never before seen since the Western World accredited religion as a standard for living right.The idea that no one merchant ship judge others especially those coming from a polar culture is in addition known as pagan relativism. This is rooted, in a more commonplace sense, to a concept called moral relat ivism. This makes the discussion more complicated because according to Timmons, relativism, is used as a label for a quite a variety of moots and ideas that differ in important ways (2002, p. 38). Timmons adds, that relativism should be understood from the chase perspective, rightness or wrongness of actions ultimately depends on the moral code of the culture to which one belongs (2002, p. 38).The PositiveBased on the above-stated commentary the proponent shadow glean at least three ideas that rouse go in support and against pagan relativism. When it comes to those in favor of relativism because the following atomic number 18 easy to adhere to1. heathen relativism allow other groups of deal to experience a degree of freedom that they so crave without the fray of out boldness forces who may not have a clear mind of what they argon doing.2. ethnic relativism makes a person out brass the ethnical sphere to overhaul the insiders the benefit of the surmise which in some cases is needed to give other community room to explain themselves or to play a blueprint to its completion.3.Cultural relativism allows for healthy boundaries. This mean that other nations or other heap groups would do well to mind their own business.The NegativeNow when it comes to the other side, one can also easily find that there are two sides to every idea. When it comes to cultural relativism the negative connotation is ambivalence that at best leads to instability and at worst will lead to chaos as explained in the following1.Cultural relativism allows for excuses when in fact what is needed is responsibility.2.Cultural relativism allows gross misbehavior that can ofttimes lead to violence, violation of human rights etc.3.Cultural relativism can be the cause of error that can escalate to war and other international incidents.Expounding on the ideas exposit above it is better to begin from the positive side of cultural relativism. It is a common contention that cultur al relativism is a position that one should take when discussing the evils of legalism the familiar scene when those who are in a position to consider conformity abuses their power and forces others to follow. The dogmatism and legalism that came from religion is a painful monitor lizard that without a proper view of cultural relativism then there are interest groups who will impose harsh laws and statutes that would make it impossible for others to follow.With regards to the aid point, there are cases wherein pack groups and even individuals need the benefit of the doubt from others in order for them to fully express themselves or even to execute a plan to perfection. The Western mindset can criticize the oriental person mindset but there are times in write up when the Western World could have benefited from the wisdom of some Asian practices if they dear took the time to give them the benefit of the doubt. the Statesns for instance ridiculed some of the business practices o f post-war japan and later found out that their way of doing things allow them to produce character reference products that even surpassed the competition.With regards to the third point, there is no need to look get on and begin examining U.S. foreign policy and the way it has been criticized all over the world. There can be good reasons why the mighty United States of America is meddling with the affairs of other countries. But the reaction is already unadorned in the now infamous September 11 and the Iraq debacle.Understanding, the positive side of cultural relativism would do well to heal conflicts between two different groups but at the same time too much of a good thing can also backfire. clean looseness can spell chaos, disaster, and tyranny. With regards to the first idea as to why cultural relativism mustiness be opposed a case study was presented by the sociologist crowd together Q. Wilson in sharing an experience he had with his class. Details are learnn in the fol lowing pages.According to Wilson, he had an interesting and somewhat disturbing discussion with his students in the subject of relativism. He said that the students in reaction to the issue of the final solution asserted an extreme form of relativism in that they refused to acknowledge that the evil that was the holocast.This is very serious for Wilson and the proponent of this study agrees with him. There is clearly a job notation between allowing room for cultural relativism and simply turning a blind eye towards something as significant as the murder of hexad gazillion people. This is an example as to how cultural relativism can be taken too far.Furthermore, the two points raised concerning the negative aspect of cultural relativism can also be seen in the case study presented by Wilson. Cultural relativism can result in behavior that is destructive and harmful for the general public. In this case a group of people the Nazis were given curtain authority to harm fellow Ger mans, who happened to be Jews. This is the disturbing thing well-nigh relativism. The Jews who were massacred were not people belonging to another nation. They were in fact Germans, with binding citizenship who happened to belong to a specific heritage or to a particular religion. Yet, the Nazis did not consider this and instead went on to murder their own.On the third and conk point, cultural relativism can be allowed but only on sealed terms. If cultural relativism is allowed without boundaries, it can result in something as serious as a world at war. And the Nazis rise to power is the case in point. The German people allowed this group of radicals to dictate their politics and their moral code. So at the end they were forced to pay a steep price for it. Even today their history is tainted with the blood of six million Jews and it is more jarring that some of them are trying to erase the defacement by using cultural relativism, an idea that was seen in full blossom in Mr. W ilsons class.ConclusionCultural relativism, an idea rooted in moral relativism is a view that in essence encourages respect and creating boundaries in dealing with people coming from a different social background and culture. This simply means that relativism allow for a more misgiving environment, a world where people learn to be more gracious and broadcast minded when it comes to other peoples actions. Those who agree with cultural relativism points to the necessity of first understanding the other persons social background, culture, and the details of the circumstances that do him or her do something even as disturbing as the holocaust.This view plays an important role in creating a world more open to discussion and less prone to hostility. But there is another side to cultural relativism that can create the same set of problems that it hoped to solve. Those who are espousing cultural relativism aims for a global society that is more humane, more forgiving and more open to dis cussion. The opposite can happen as seen above.The explanation can be partly seen in the analysis of Catherine Wilson who remarked that in order to perform, simply and benevolent actions, to approve just and benevolent actions in others, and to attribute sexual morality to those who perform them requires a social system that regards actions as items for judgment and objurgation (2004, p. 4). In other words this world cannot function having only cultural relativism as a guide. Humanity requires something more stable than just a simplistic answer such as relativism.Relativism is like a band-aid to something as serious as gangrene. One can simply patch up a festering wound denying the fact that something is rotting underneath hoping to show that everything is fine will not solve the problem. The sociologist James Wilson was right to be appalled by the naivete and simplistic formulations of his class. Six million people murdered not including millions more who suffered in death camp s could not be simply be dismissed as part of freedom of expression based on the unique circumstances surrounding the event.It is the height of deceitfulness for the students to turn a blind eye from the suffering of Jews in rallying cry War II and yet become so livid when others are violating their own freedom. How come they can easily allow the Nazis to trample the rights of the Jews when they could not stand their own parents telling them what to do. This is simply inconsistent and goes against human nature. Cultural relativism can be allowed in areas where cultural preferences and highly debatable issues are at stake but not when lives are on the line and especially when heinous crimes were committed. ReferencesDreier, L. (2005). Contemporary Debates in chaste Theory. Malden, MA Blackwell Publishers.Posner, R. (1999). The Problematics of Moral and Legal Theory. Boston, MA First HarvardUniversity Press.Soccio, D. J. (2004). Archetypes of Wisdom An Introduction to Philosophy. 5 th Ed. Belmont,CA Wadsworth.Sorell, T. (2000). Moral Theory and Anomaly. Malden, MA Blackwell Publishers.Timmons, M. (2002). Moral Theory An Introduction. Maryland Rowman & LittlefieldPublishers.Wilson, C. (2004). Moral Animals Ideals and Constraints in Moral Theory. New York OxfordUniversity Press.